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Guidelines for Cognitive Evaluation<br />
June, <strong>2003</strong><br />
Content of Psychological Assessment Reports<br />
It is expected that all psychological evaluation reports contain the following information:<br />
I. Reason for Referral<br />
What are the specific questions being asked by the school which have not been answered<br />
through academic evaluation differentiated instruction and individual, group or classroom<br />
intervention by the school's support team and classroom teacher?<br />
II. Method of Assessment<br />
What are the specific tests and procedures the Psychologist has selected to provide a<br />
comprehensive overview of the child's circumstances and the most relevant information<br />
to address the school's questions about the child?<br />
III. Background Information<br />
This section should include information in, at least, the following areas:<br />
• Developmental & medical history (including hearing and vision)<br />
• Current family situation & relevant family history<br />
• School history & current academic functioning<br />
• Further details related to referral question(s)<br />
IV. Clinical Observations and Test Behaviour<br />
Observation of the child in the natural environments (e.g., classroom, playground,<br />
interacting with a parent) is important to a thorough understanding of the child's<br />
functioning and may provide clues regarding specific triggers or precipitants to the child's<br />
difficulties. Observations made during formal testing can provide important information<br />
about the child's attentional skills, activity level, social abilities, performance anxiety,<br />
preferred learning style, coping skills, creative thinking, and problem-solving ability.<br />
These observations must have more than descriptive value. They must be of<br />
interpretive relevance and need to contribute to the Summary and Clinical<br />
Impressions section.<br />
V. Assessment Results<br />
Cognitive, behavioural, personality, social, emotional, family, and adaptive functioning<br />
are described here. Specific results of standardized tests should be reported as per<br />
discipline guidelines. However, the primary focus should be on describing the child,<br />
not the test. Consistencies and discrepancies among the various findings should be noted.<br />
A statement regarding the validity of the results obtained also must be made.
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